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Genesis 31:1
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Jacob Flees from Laban

1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this awealth.”  
2 And Jacob saw the acountenance of Laban, and indeed it was not bfavorable toward him as before.  
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, a“Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will bbe with you.”  
4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock,
5 and said to them, a“I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father bhas been with me.  
6 And ayou know that with all my might I have served your father.  
7 Yet your father has deceived me and achanged my wages bten times, but God cdid not allow him to hurt me.  
8 If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: a‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked.  
9 So God has ataken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.  
10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted.
11 Then athe Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’  
12 And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for aI have seen all that Laban is doing to you.  
13 I am the God of Bethel, awhere you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now barise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”  
14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, a“Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?  
15 Are we not considered strangers by him? For ahe has sold us, and also completely consumed our money.  
16 For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”
17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels.
18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of aCanaan.  
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the ahousehold idols that were her father’s.  
20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.
21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and aheaded toward the mountains of Gilead.  

Laban Pursues Jacob

22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 Then he took ahis brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.  
24 But God ahad come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you bspeak to Jacob neither good nor bad.”  
25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.
26 And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and acarried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?  
27 Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
28 And you did not allow me ato kiss my sons and my daughters. Now byou have done foolishly in so doing.  
29 It is in my power to do you harm, but the aGod of your father spoke to me blast night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’  
30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you asteal my gods?”  
31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was aafraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’  
32 With whomever you find your gods, ado not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.  
33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the1 household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.  
35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot arise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the1 household idols.  
36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?  
37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!
38 These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.
39 aThat which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. bYou required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.  
40 There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
41 Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I aserved you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and byou have changed my wages ten times.  
42 aUnless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and bthe Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. cGod has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and drebuked you last night.”  

Laban’s Covenant with Jacob

43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?
44 Now therefore, come, alet us make a covenant, byou and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”  
45 So Jacob atook a stone and set it up as a pillar.  
46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.  
48 And Laban said, a“This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed,  
49 also aMizpah, because he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.  
50 If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us—see, God is witness between you and me!”
51 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me.
52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.
53 The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father ajudge between us.” And Jacob bswore by cthe Fear of his father Isaac.  
54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.
55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and akissed his sons and daughters and bblessed them. Then Laban departed and creturned to his place. 
Commentaries:
Matthew Henry
<< Genesis 30:43   Genesis 31:2 >>


Genesis 31:1-55

Jacob departs secretly. (1-21) Laban pursues Jacob. (23-35) Jacob's complaint of Laban's conduct. (36-42) Their covenant at Galeed. (43-55) Verses 1-21 The affairs of these families are related very minutely, while (what are called) the great events of states and kingdoms at that period, are not mentioned. The Bible teaches people the common duties of life, how to serve God, how to enjoy the blessings he bestows, and to do good in the various stations and duties of life. Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even swallow up natural affection. Men's overvaluing worldly wealth is that error which is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. The men of the world stand in each other's way, and every one seems to be taking away from the rest; hence discontent, envy, and discord. But there are possessions that will suffice for all; happy they who seek them in the first place. In all our removals we should have respect to the command and promise of God. If He be with us, we need not fear. The perils which surround us are so many, that nothing else can really encourage our hearts. To remember favoured seasons of communion with God, is very refreshing when in difficulties; and we should often recollect our vows, that we fail not to fulfil them. Verses 22-35 God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause to God, are not forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear. When we read of Rachel's stealing her father's images, what a scene of iniquity opens! The family of Nahor, who left the idolatrous Chaldees; is this family itself become idolatrous? It is even so. The truth seems to be, that they were like some in after-times, who sware by the Lord and by Malcham, zepheniah 1:5 ; and like others in our times, who wish to serve both God and mammon. Great numbers will acknowledge the true God in words, but their hearts and houses are the abodes of spiritual idolatry. When a man gives himself up to covetousness, like Laban, the world is his god; and he has only to reside among gross idolaters in order to become one, or at least a favourer of their abominations. Verses 36-42 If Jacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day, and frost by night, to become the son-in-law of Laban, what should we refuse to endure, to become the sons of God? Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father; he thought himself unworthy to be regarded, but was beloved for his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead, and gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart, as his fear and his dread. Verses 43-55 Laban could neither justify himself nor condemn Jacob, therefore desires to hear no more of that matter. He is not willing to own himself in fault, as he ought to have done. But he proposes a covenant of friendship between them, to which Jacob readily agrees. A heap of stones was raised, to keep up the memory of the event, writing being then not known or little used. A sacrifice of peace offerings was offered. Peace with God puts true comfort into our peace with our friends. They did eat bread together, partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice. In ancient times covenants of friendship were ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. God is judge between contending parties, and he will judge righteously; whoever do wrong, it is at their peril. They gave a new name to the place, The heap of witness. After this angry parley, they part friends. God is often better to us than our fears, and overrules the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in him.


 
<< Genesis 30:43   Genesis 31:2 >>

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